Page 34 of Savage Suit

I did the calculations in my head. “If she’s seven weeks along now, then she was about three weeks when you borrowed my car and a month gone when you broke up with Karol?” I posed it as a question, already having the answer. He wasn’t the only one good with numbers. “She told the friend who helped you to cheat on her before she told you, then waited another three weeks to inform you of your impending fatherhood?”

Nathaniel nodded. “That’s right.”

“You don’t see any issues with this scenario?”

“None,” he responded without hesitation. “I hurt her, Noah. She put her faith in me and trusted me enough to give me her most precious gift. I severely abused her belief in me.”

“What did you buy for her at Tiffany’s? How much did you spend?”

“Not that it matters since it was my money, but a watch, a tennis bracelet, and hoop earrings.”

“Does she work?” I demanded.

“Yes, she does.”

“And you’re okay with that?”

“You’re the only man I know who isn’t fine with a woman working because your therapist stole your money and didn’t do his fucking job. Mom was killed being a mother, not a career woman. She wouldn’t have cut her trip short if you hadn't gotten sick. Stop blaming every woman out there becauseonedecided her son,you, couldn’t survive without her.”

“Asshole,” I whispered, low.

Over the years, I’d been the target of my brother’s and sister’s blame. Nicholas fed Rosalie’s resentment. My father never laid explicit accusation at my feet, but I believed he saw my mother’s love of me as the reason for her death. The two youngest of the family, Nathaniel and Remy, had been…?

I thought for a moment. They’d been neutral.

“On the other hand,” Nathaniel continued when I said nothing else, “even if she had stayed for the scheduled duration, she might’vestillgotten killed. She didn’t die of a heart attack due to job stress.”

The fucking irony of that statement.

“A heart attack killed Dad, but I don’t see your fucking ass retiring. Mom didn’t have an aneurysm or a fucking bleeding ulcer that killed her. She died in a goddamn plane crash because of severe weather. She could’ve been returning from a vacation. Or a visit to friends. Or anywhere. It just so happened it was a business trip.”

“If she hadn’t been a part of the company, there would’ve been no need for her to go on the fucking trip,” I interjected.

“No, if she hadn’t worshippedyou, she would still be alive.”

I ignored that. Otherwise, I might’ve grabbed him by the throat and choked the fuck out of him. But, we didn’t need that type of press, so I swallowed my hurt and anger and said, “The shit you’re in with that woman has nothing to do with Mother’s death.”

“Everything with you has to do with Mom’s death,” Nathaniel returned. “We aren’t meant to live forever, and it was just her time to go, goddammit. Stop making every woman pay for your irrational anger over Mom dying. She’s fucking dead, Noah.Dead. And being a chauvinistic, antiquated motherfucker won’t bring her back. It just arms you with the fucking excuse to stay single and keep women out of your fucking company. Fuck you. Do you understand me? I refuse to allow you to overwhelm my pregnant girlfriend with your mommy and mental issues. Poor little Noah. He lost his mommy, and it broke his fragile heart. Fuck you, dude. Get over it. She’s gone.”

Fury rose in me, and my nostrils flared, but I was too livid to respond. His mockery repulsed me. He was five when she’d been killed. Though he’d missed her, he barely remembered her, so her death didn’t affect him in the way it had me. My mother and I had been the closest, two peas in a pod. When she was killed, I lost my best friend.

“She’s your mother too, you little fucking asshole,” I growled, fighting my urge to strangle him. “Show some goddamn respect for her.”

“I’m aware of that, Noah. I’m not stupid. But unlike you, I can function fine without dwelling on her passing every day. And you know what? On second thought, I don’t want to work at your fucking company. I couldn’t take seeing only cocks every day.”

“Your job request was a smokescreen to announce your girlfriend’s pregnancy.”

“That isn’t true!” he denied, his arrogant demeanor shifting. “Working in the same office won’t be good for our relationship. Is Graham Morgan hiring?”

The change of subject relieved me. When my anger deserted me, I would fight memories that left me hollow and sad. “I’ll talk to Graham in the morning and explain the situation.” I stood. “I need a fucking drink in the meantime.”

“Noah?” Nathaniel called as I walked away.

Pausing at his bleakness, I kept my back to him. “Yes?”

“I’m sorry. Whether you believe me, I worry about you. We all do. We…Iwant you happy. While Mom’s death haunts you, true happiness,peace, will elude you.”

Inane bullshit inevitably followed the harshness Nathaniel directed at me.